


Squad Number 16

by PumpkinSpite



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: (Bc I know very little about Titanfall LOL), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Non-Binary Character, Fanboying, Fluff, Might gonna get smutty, Other, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Unbeta'd, can't promise, game typical violence, headcanon heavy, written on mobile
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-12 22:47:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18019913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinSpite/pseuds/PumpkinSpite
Summary: The Apex Games is a bloodsport that developed out of the conflicts in the Outlands and now has a proud tradition amongst competitive survivalists as the place where legends are born.A headcanon heavy Miragehound fic.





	1. Chapter 1

“Good evening, this is SolNews with a Special Report from King's Canyon. Ladies and gentlemen, the polls are in, we have our sixty competitors for this year's Grand League Apex Games at the ready, and it promises to be a very interesting set this year. With me tonight, our SolNews Apex Expert Satoshi Hamada. Hamada, what can we expect from this year's lineup?”  
“Simone, this year could not be any more exciting, we have a lot of fresh meat this time on the plate, uh, I'm not sure if you have seen the test games -”  
“Of course.”  
“- Ajay Che, Lifeline. Uh, an amazing young woman, high energy, all the time, and that D.O.C. drone proved to be an amazing asset to her squad members, no matter where they placed.”  
“Combat medics are a rare sight in the ring, no?”  
“Oh, we've had some very talented doctors on the field before, consider the, uh, brilliantly scary Caustic, he has a doctor too, but none have yet proven to be this fast at healing their squad as Lifeline. Uh, also, a newcomer to the Grand League but definitely a familiar face-”  
“Mirage!”  
“Yes, Elliott Witt, crowd favourite of the Solace League, personally one of the most promising players between all those newcomers, his holographic technology is, uh, will surely bring something new to the table this year-”  
“He is such a charming fellow.”  
“He is definitely popular, yes, uh, honestly I'm very excited to see how he will do on the King's Canyon terrain.”  
“Another newcomer to the games this year, Makao Gibraltar, alao of Solace. What a mountain of a man, Hamada.”  
“He sure is, and just as hard to get around, Simone. His shields are an interesting approach, uh, we rarely see people go for a defensive strategy in the ring, uh, but I'm certain wherever he will end up, he will be a good addition to his squad, uh, no less because of those shields.”  
“And he is just massive, look at him. Ah, so, we also have, of course, returning champions!”  
“Yes, as I mentioned earlier, Caustic is in the game this year again, the man that separates the fans, the master of chemistry and toxins -”  
“I feel like he is a very underrated player, like, last year he did a fantastic with his squad, made it to Top 2, he was that year's Kill Leader -”  
“Well, you have to consider that he is still a convicted criminal, Simone, people tend to not react healthy to those.”  
“Understandable. And, of course, it wouldn't be the Grand League, if we wouldn't have Bloodhound -”  
“Bloodhound, my favourite, five time competitor, two times champion -”  
“The man, the mystery!”  
“Ah, Simone, we don't know what’s behind that mask! For all we know they could be a robot.”  
“Oh, right, right, of course. Uh, but yes, glad to have them back, and we, ladies and gentlemen, are also happy to be back this year. And for those of you new to this event, we put together a little clip to bring you up to speed…” 

\-----  
The Apex Games is a bloodsport that developed out of the conflicts in the Outlands and now has a proud tradition amongst competitive survivalists as the place where legends are born.  
The rules are as follows:  
You have twenty squads of three players each. The players are dropped onto the playing field, the famed King’s Canyon. The island is scattered with loot, containing weapons, shields and health items. The squads must arm themselves to take out any other squad members. Additionally, every 12 hours, the Ring will be deployed - a burning force field covering parts of the island, forcing the players closer and closer together. The squad with the most surviving members by the end of the fifth Ring cycle wins.  
Now, while this is a bloodsport, we are not as cruel as one would think. Each player is allowed to carry one piece of equipment that does not qualify as a weapon, but allows them to support themself and their team members. Every player carries a banner. These banners can be collected by their squad mates, should the player have fallen, and used to respawn them on a respawn beacon.  
So no worries, no one actually dies here.  
Mostly.


	2. Chapter 2

“Alright, I will need your banner, please?”  
Elliott picked on his wrist, the holographic card sliding between his fingers and towards the lady behind the counter. The line of people behind him was long. Sixty people didn’t sound like much, but seeing them all line-up like this, like ducks in a row, it was an impressive number.  
“Elliott Witt, codename “Mirage”, uh...your number is 15.” she muttered pushing her glasses back before delocking the banner from her pad and handing it back.  
“Wait, that’s it?”  
“We are only assigning names to numbers here. The squad lottery will follow soon after. Please move ahead, we still have fifty-five more people to go, sir.”  
Elliott made a face as he stepped away from the counter, placing the banner back to his wrist.

Geez. The Grand League people all seem like real tough business. Even the lottery ladies got no chill.  
Of course this isn’t his first Apex game. He had been in the Solace only tournament before, made it pretty far even. But this...this felt a lot bigger.  
Elliott wasn’t a dumbass. He knew what effect he can have on people. The limelight was his favorite spot to be and a lot of the people here throwing glances at him seem to know it. Not like he cared a lot, but it still felt intimidating to be antagonized right out of the gate.

“Ey, Witt!”  
A slap against the back demanded his attention.  
A young woman had stepped up behind him, holding up her banner at him with a cheeky grin. “Got my number.”  
“Hey, nice! Which one you got, Ajay?”  
“Like I’m gonna tell you!” she snorted. “That’s all part of the lottery, ain’t it? Being surprised by who you gonna team up with.”  
Elliott groaned quietly. That’s one of the elements he never liked about the pre-game. Squads being assembled via pulling numbers from a pot seemed always very unpredictable to him. Who knew what kind of people you’d end up having to work with? If you’re unlucky and you get two lone wolf types you are mostly fucked.  
“You got one you wanna team up with most?” Ajay asked as the two walked along the line of the other champions, towards the waiting room.  
Elliott shrugged. “I mean, you are one of the best combat medics out there. Can’t say I wouldn’t appre - appra? Uh, I would like having you on my squad! Yeah!”  
“You’re just saying that because I tipped you well last week.”  
“That too.”

The waiting room was large and bright, but unpersonal. Like the bar Elliott jobbed at, but sans all the stink of old liquor. A few people already settled down, cliqs have formed even without the polls being through. All of them shared drinks and stared up at the big screen over their heads, showing off an empty stage with an urn on it. Elliott and Ajay settled on a table to the left, eying the screen.  
“Is it gonna be aired?”  
“Probably. They like to make a spectacle out of these games after all.” Ajay hummed as she moved her chair around.  
Elliott tabbed against the pad on the table in front of them, ordering himself a beer. “What about you? You got any faves you wanna play with?”  
“I’m fine with anyone. As long as it’s not Bloodhound.”  
Elliott jerked his head up. “Bloodhound? You joking? Bloodhound is awesome! Like, have you seen them in the ring?”  
“They are the champion, Witt…”  
“Yes! For good reason! They are such a good shot, like - I don’t know if you’ve seen last year’s games, but, man, that was so tight! I think they were in Skull Town or something, and it was three squads left on the fourth ring cycle, and Bloodhound just rushed in after one of their mates fell and - woah, man, those eyes, they are a beast, I tell you! I’d love to have someone that can dash out that much on my team!”  
“You sound like a fanboy.”  
“Been watching the Grand League for years. That’s what got me into it myself. But still, why the hell would you not want the ‘Hunter of the Allfather’ - heh, I love doing that voice - why would you not want them on your team?”  
“Because they are the champion, Witt. Remember, the guy who gets a kill on the champion gets a bonus reward, no matter if they make it to the top three squads or not. I’d prefer to not run around with a target on legs.”  
“Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but in the ring, everyone is a target on legs.”

The waiting room was filling up with characters. Elliott caught sight of a few people he had seen on the news. There was a robot somewhere, too. Or even two. He didn’t know those were allowed here. Guess having no blood isn’t a disqualifier for a blood sport.  
Slowly his gaze wandered, until the room began to dim and the screen seemed to light up.  
“Now it’s getting interesting.” Ajay muttered, as a waiter placed the beer next to Elliott before ducking away to keep the screen free.

A woman walked onto the stage on screen, wearing the stiffest, most elegant grey costume Elliott had ever seen. She adjusted her glasses as she stepped towards the mic.  
“Welcome, legends. Welcome to the 124th Grand League Apex Games. It is my pleasure and honour to now draw your numbers and therefore assemble the squads you will be fighting in.”  
The urn began to light up and a holographic screen appeared, a little frame with a question mark above the number 60.  
“Squad Number 1.”  
The lady raised a little device in her hand, a button that fit her palm. She clicked it and the number on the screen began to flicker and move, like a sped up clock.  
Abruptly the number stops at 12. The question mark turned into a photo, a large man with a shaggy beard and a scar on his forehead.  
“Number 12, Miguel Gordon, Codename Spark.”  
A quiet noise came from behind Elliott’s back.  
The numbers ran again.  
“Number 31, Name redacted, Codename Wraith.” The image displayed a young, pale woman with dark hair and pale eyes.  
“Urgh. Looks like a ghost.”  
“Shh!” Ajay slapped Elliott against his arm.  
The display hummed yet again and the final number of Squad 1 was displayed.  
“Number 47, Anita Williams, Codename Bangalore. Squad Number 1, you have been assembled. Please move into your introduction quarters. You will be picked up by the organisers tomorrow to be placed into the dropship.”  
Elliott tossed a glance over his shoulder, watching three figures move out of the door, the ghostly girl, the big scar face and the lady displayed last on screen. Going by her look she was probably a former military person. Elliott had seen enough of those getting drunk in front of him to know what those looked like.

And so it went on, number after number, squad after squad was put together, some happier than others to be set up. The room was getting quieter and quieter with each squad leaving the waiting room and Elliott, who had finished his beer already, could tell his table neighbour was getting anxious. Ajay tapped her foot under the surface, eyes glued to the screen as her hands kneaded each other.  
He hummed to himself. Honestly the only reason his beer was already empty was that he was nervous, too. The bottle had given him an excuse to keep his mind occupied, now however it started to spin.  
As much as he loved these games, this league will be different. He knew it the moment he applied, the moment he went through what they called “a casting”. But it was closer to an interrogation with with a free weapon handling class after that. Just the fact he was here seemed surreal.   
This was a big chance. His chance to become the big number he always wanted to become. Finally be able to make a living for himself, finally support his mom and his brothers.  
To finally be able to give back.  
He can not fuck this up.

“Squad Number 16.”  
The display hummed again, Elliott’s mouth suddenly becoming dry. Like an omen.  
And he shouldn’t be disappointed, as he suddenly saw his own face grinning back at him.  
“Number 15, Elliott Michael Witt, Codename Mirage.”  
“Eyyy.” he said to himself, fingergunning the lady on screen.  
Ajay chuckled, patting his shoulder. “Let’s hope you get a competent squad.”  
“Any squad with me on it is competent.” Elliott returned, leaning back into his chair. The grin on his face faked confidence. This could still end up in a disaster.  
The number began to run again and stopped as sudden as they had began to move.

“No way!”  
“Number 59, Ajay Che, Codename Lifeline.”  
Ajay had jumped off of her chair, staring at the screen before turning to grin at Elliott. “Yeah, your squad gonna be competent alright.”  
Elliott returned the smirk. Yes, that was actually a bit relieving.  
He knew Ajay, has met her in the bar he worked at before the games. She’s probably an even better fighter than he could ever be. Not that he would admit that openly. Knowing she was on his side and not on the other was putting his mind at ease.

And then, the last member was drawn. The lady on the screen made a dramatic pause.  
“Number 60.”

Elliott’s grin slipped. He turned around scanning the room.  
Finally he spotted two round dots in the back, right next to the door. A figure, clad in fur, rugs and tubes, their face obscured by a bright red breathing mask, a wide brimmed hat and a set of opac goggles that reflected the light coming from the screen.  
It was tradition to give the number 60 to the previous year’s champion.  
“Name reducted, Codename Bloodhound.”

He tossed a look at Ajay. She had found Bloodhound near the door, too, and looked like she was ready to faint. And he had to admit, now knowing they were on his squad - maybe that huge target on their back felt more pressing then he wanted to admit it did.

“Squad Number 16, your introduction room has been prepared. Please move yourself to your quarters.”  
As if responding, Ajay nodded and turned around, her step less confident than it was before. Elliott followed tail, eyes still pinned onto the two gleaming circles next to the door.  
His stomach was upset and a voice in his head wanted to wave it off and blame it on the bad, stale beer, but he knew it was more than that.  
There was, of course, the general nervousness of the tournament, the feeling of all those eyes scanning his face, knowing that if they’d get him, they might have a chance of getting the champion - but also excitement.  
Because he was on a squad with Bloodhound.  
 _Bloodhound._  
This can either go super wrong, or be an absolute cake walk.  
He was hoping for the latter.


	3. Chapter 3

The door closes behind them and Elliott suddenly felt like he entered a summer camp.  
There were three beds, one to the left, two to the right, with the tiniest window in existence in the back. A door to the side led to what he assumed was the bathroom and on the opposite wall of said door stood an open closet with a screen in it, various books and for some reason, board games and playing cards.  
The confused pause from both, Elliott and Ajay, didn’t stop the champion from going straight into the room, carrying a small bag in their hands as they sat down onto the bed to the left.  
“They stocked up.” came from them, and it was the first time Elliott has heard them speak since they met. Which was about two minutes ago.

Ajay gave another irritated look around. “Looks like my old dorm room in college.”  
“The committee wants the legends to unwind before the battle. They encourage engagement with each other during the evening before we head into the fight tomorrow morning.”  
Ajay muttered something to herself as she tossed her own bag of items onto the bed. “Great. Had I known that I would have brought my pyjamas.”  
Elliott snorted. “Relax, Ajay. Enjoy the silence before the storm, why don’t you?”  
“Yeah, cool, with Mau-Mau and parcheesi.” she muttered before dropping into the pillows like a frustrated teenager.  
Elliot meanwhile walked up to the last free bed, the one right next to Bloodhound’s.  
His head was still spinning a little. Finally he’s in the Grand League, playing with the big boys. And of all people he was set up in a squad with Bloodhound, one of the best players of the past seasons, and Ajay, a talented combat medic.  
His optimism began to flail in his chest. Maybe this won’t be that bad.  
A curious glance over to the other side of the room as he began to take off his boots.

Bloodhound was a strange sight in many regards. Of course, at first glance they were intimidating. The lenses of their goggles reflected every small light it hit, making them shine like a bug’s eye, and the large red breathing mask, that seemed to be connected to a chestpiece and some kind of little filter on their back via a tube system, didn’t do favors in that regard either. It was impossible to make out any facial expressions, let alone see what their face actually looked like, with that strange hat on their head that seemed to have rusty nails and screws tied to old threads dangling from its rim. And was that a pilot’s cap they were wearing under that? The padded clothing they wore seemed to be padded out by layers, too, with a piece of short fur hanging from their back.

“Aren’t you feeling a bit warm?” he finally mustered up, almost not believing how easy it suddenly was to just ask Bloodhound - _the_ Bloodhound - something this mundane.  
The hunter turned their head to look at Elliott, goggles as unexpressive as before.  
“I’m used to it.” finally came as an answer, after what felt to Elliott like an awkward eternity.  
Great job, idiot. First time you talking to your famous squad member, and you fuck it up.  
“Wait, you saying you gonna sleep in that gear?” came from Ajay’s bunk.  
Bloodhound finally sat down on their spot as well, arms crossed. “I usually do. The wilderness can get cold, félagi. Wearing protection from the weathers is a remarkable advantage if you try to survive.”  
That brought a snort out of Elliott. And earned him a quick glare from Ajay.  
“So, what, you sleep in that stuff, you work in that stuff...don’t you ever shower?”  
“I am not sure how my personal hygiene is your concern. But if it soothes your mind, yes, I do wash myself.”  
Ajay turned to lie on her belly now, hands holding up her head. “Hah. That’s good to know.”  
“Man, and I thought I’d be the one dashing out the embarrassing questions.” Elliott muttered and duck right after, as Ajay flung a pillow at him.

Bloodhound made a strange noise. He assumed it was them sighing into their mask, which created a weird, hollow echo.  
“I have had much more intrusive questions asked before...I am aware of my reputation, my félagi fighters. I know people are...frightened of me. And that they talk about me in rumors. I don’t know which ones you’ve heard or which ones you believe in. But I want you to know one thing.”   
Their head was still, but a weird tingle on Elliott’s skin told him that they were glancing back and forth between him and Ajay.  
“I am before all a hunter. I will slatra those who oppose me in battle - but I’m no murderer. I am not cruel. I am not here to torture people. I am here to test my skills. This is the only place I can kill any prey, yet not send anyone into the embrace of the Allfather. But I have seen many try to do exactly that here. I have seen people choke on poison gas, barely saved by the committee’s medics. I’ve seen people strangling each other within the first ring over a Peacekeeper. And I am not ready to engage in any more of these activities. So let it be known, I am not here to do anything but proof my own worth to the Allfather. And that is all you will need to know about me.”

Ajay opened her mouth and closed it just as quickly again. Then she stared at Elliott.   
Said man was stunned. Both of them have not expected to get a speech about the hunter's motive behind their involvement with the games.  
To be fair, Elliott was a little moved by that. He did hear rumors about Bloodhound, of course, each one wilder than the next. But he was pretty sure that they were not raised by bears or are half bat or secretly a rich person just seeking a thrill. Especially not after this speech. It did however underline the “religious fanatic” theory, going by their rambling about an Allfather. Probably their deity of choice. Nothing wrong with that. Elliott has survived two catholic grandmothers, he could bare thinking about having to listen to the rants of a Viking nerd for three days for sure.

“Ey, man, we all got our own reasons to be here, but I'm sure as hell not some kinda sicko. I'm here to party! I love the games, the challenge, the pret...prese...prestige! That's the word!”  
“Mirage is right. “ Ajay chimed in. “We ain't here to make enemies, we wanna win, just as much as you do. Don't think we can do that if we antagonize each other.”  
The hunter turned their mask towards Ajay, before nodding once and unfolding their arms.  
“Then it will be my honour to fight alongside you.”  
A warm smile spread on Elliott's face. “Well, guess introductions are in place.” He got up, reaching his hand out, but the hunter raised their hand.   
“I know who you are. I saw them talk about you.”  
“Them?”  
“The reporters.”  
“Ohhh, riiight, my old friends at SolNews. Jupp, they like holding a camera up to my face. Heh, I mean who wouldn't?”  
“I wouldn't.” Ajay chimed in as she walked over to reclaim her pillow from Elliott's hostage.  
With a playful, hurt expression Elliott turned to her, hands placed against his hips as if he was offended. “Say what! Oh, c'mon, who'd not live to see this perfectly trimmed beard and those sexy lips and let's not forget my beautiful bedroom eyes.”  
“I'm not into bedroom eyes, Mirage.”

A noise came from the other side of the room. Bloodhound had raised their hand towards there mask which rattled quietly.  
At first the sound was unsettling, like someone coughing into a hollow tin can.   
Until Elliott recognised the pose. The pose of someone trying to suppress a giggle.  
And somewhere in his chest, he could feel a little candle being lit up.

Ajay hugged her pillow finally.  
“Anyone wanna play something?”  
“Yeah, sure. I mean, it's there.what do you wanna play?”  
“I mean everyone knows Mau-Mau.”  
“I don't. I have actually never played any of the games offered here.”  
That earned Bloodhound a surprised look from Ajay.  
“No worries. We show you!” she said and went for the cabinet. 

Elliott kept his smirk, trying to keep the fluttering in his heart low.

He made Bloodhound laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

“Urgh. Someone didn’t shower proper last night.” Elliott muttered, his voice getting drowned out by the noise around them. High-tech sports company, advertising itself with the latest healthing technology - and their dropships are loud like a steam hammer.  
He wasn’t alone. Ajay held her ears shut with a very annoyed expression, while simultaneously trying to find a grip. The drop ship was shaking viciously against every wind it hit and the fifty-seven other people around them didn’t make their flight more comfortable. A strange atmosphere hang over them, a thick cloud of silence, almost choking him with anxiety.  
Elliott would kill to be back in that cheesy dorm right now, getting ripped off by Ajay in Mau-Mau. Sure as hell seemed like the more pleasant way to spend your time right now.

He glanced to the side.  
Bloodhound stood against the wall, hands kneading each other. He wasn’t sure if the plane was shaking so much or if it was the hunter shivering.  
“You okay, Hound?”  
A visible twitch and the goggles reflected Elliott’s worried face. The mask rattled.  
“Yes. Just...I hate planes.”  
“Ah, c'mon, man, you've done this a few times before.”  
“I am no man.”  
Now that was a snappy remark. Elliott dug a canine into his lower lip. “Hey, relax. If you want to I can take over as jumpmaster.”  
“Full offense, Mirage, but I'd prefer the person that knows the area beat should decide where we drop.” Ajay said, her voice raising from incoming noise. The front of the drop ship began to open and slowly teams were lining up to jump off.  
Elliott could already spy dangerous rock formations and what looked like an old military base.  
“Right.” he muttered and his voice dropped. “Time to get the party started.”  
“I would call it a massacre rather than a party.” Bloodhound returned as they slipped along the wall towards the open door. Ajay and Elliott tailed after.

From this high up, King's Canyon looked massive. Abandoned buildings everywhere, most wooden terrain. Oddly beautiful for a place used to shed blood on.  
“Any ideas yet, Bloodhound?” Ajay yelled against the wind, getting visibly nervous about the fact that the drop ship became lighter and lighter.  
“They are all going for Skull Town. Andskoti.”  
“Whaaat! We ain't going there, do we?”  
The hunter shook their head. “Too risky. Bunker will probably be bursting as well.”  
They looked up, pointing into the distance. “I say we land there.” Elliott saw their hand waving vaguely into the direction of a swampy area. “Not optimal in terms of terrain, but it has good loot locations.”  
“You're the boss.” Ajay hummed and watched another team drop off.  
Elliott took a deep breath. “Is it too late to mention that I'm afraid of heights?”  
“I'm afraid so.”  
“Ah, just kidding. I'm not afraid of heights.”  
“You are not funny, Witt!”

A sudden grip on their wrists shut Mirage and Lifeline up, as Bloodhound took hold of them and with a big leap hopped out of the drop ship.

Their screams were indistinguishable in pitch.

 

_____

 

“Woohoo, that was awesome!” Ajay yelled, moments before they hit the muddy waters of the swamp. Her cheeks were flushed and her grin wide in excitement.  
“Yeah. Awesome.” Elliott muttered, his knees giving in. Ass first he landed in mud, groaning. “Great. I just had these steamed.”

Bloodhound was already busy turning, taking in their surroundings. “The first ring should be announced in the coming hours. Keep and eye on your banner. It functions as a map.”  
“What? I thought we had twelve hours now. Then the ring closes and then it's peace time!”  
“The ring moves agonisingly slow. It takes up to an hour to close up.”  
“Oh. That's not how they do it on Solace. Our ring just, plop, appears. But it also doesn't hurt you. Just means you're out.”  
Bloodhound bent their knees to eye the ground. “No one has been here so far. All tracks I see are cold. We're safe for now. The next loot locations are up ahead. Once we are armed we should head for into the ring as soon as possible. We can still stack up supplies as we go along.”  
“That, and in doubt, I got D.O.C. with me.” Ajay said, proudly patting the object strapped to her back.  
Elliott stretched his muscles. “Well then, let's go -”

A signal echoed through the island.  
 _”Warning! First blood!”_  
“Yikes. Better them than us.” Ajay muttered.

Bloodhound began to move. “The battle begins, félagi fighters. Be ready to be tested by the Allfather.”

 

_____

 

The huts in the swamp stood on weak legs of wood, two or three meters above the water. But for looking so rotten and worn, this place had a lot of promising loot.  
“Body shield here, Level 2!” Elliott chimed through his com.  
“I need that!” Ajay's voice in his ear replied as he picked up light ammo for his P2020. Not his first choice, but good enough for a back-up.  
“Anyone good with shotguns? I found a Peacekeeper early.”  
“No. I would prefer a rifle.” Bloodhound replied.  
Elliott rolled his eyes. “Any other requests?”  
“Ah. Yes. Shield cells would be nice. Thank you.”  
He opened his mouth and closed it again. The hunter was not good at picking up sarcasm.

This past half hour was strange. They had little time to adjust to the surroundings, so all Ajay and Elliott could do was put their hope into Bloodhound. They were newcomers to the Grand League, and already he felt a must heavier weight on his shoulders than when he would compete in the Solace League.  
Then again, they were good damn lucky to have gotten Bloodhound with them. It's like winning the lottery. How are they supposed to lose with the reigning champion on their team, who is also coaching them along the way?  
They got this in the box. Or...was it the bag?

“Mirage! Come on, move your ass, ring's closing in five minutes!”  
Elliott snapped out of his train of thoughts as he reached for the hop-op, just to be safe. He ran out of the next, looking at his map.  
“Hey! Why are you guys so far ahead already?” he yelled through the com as he ran for the nearest zipline. That should help him gain some speed. Why aren't there more of those around the place?  
“Just get your butt over here, we'll wait at the beacon.” Lifeline said before she shut down the com.

“Well, fan-fucking-tastic.” Elliott muttered to himself.  
Maybe he should take back whatever he said about competence.   
It always ended up like this. Big promises of teamwork, but once in the ring, everyone does their own thing and in the end he's the one jackass trotting behind. Not that this kind of dynamic wasn't safe, it helps to get carried a little. But he was lowkey sick of being a follower instead of a leader. Like he always was.  
This time will be different however.  
This time he will be better and show what stuff he's really made out of.

Mum was watching this time. He can't disappoint her.


	5. Chapter 5

“This is SolNews, live from King's Canyon, dear viewers, the game. Is. On. The first six hours of this year's Grand League Apex Games just came to a close and we already have a few numbers to crunch, Hamada!”  
“Yes, Simone, this year is as rapid fire as ever, you know, people like to say the first twelve hours tend to be the bloodiest hours of the game, and this year really makes no exception. We are already short five squads! Five squads, seventeen people, that have fallen within the first six hours, unsurprisingly, most of them around Skull Town -”  
“People are really looking for a fight if they drop Skull Town, don't they?”  
“Or for a quick release, who knows, Simone, but yes, squads Number 4, 5, 8, 12 and 19 have been eliminated, Squad 1 and Squad 10 are one man short now, the members are already under medical care of the Apex committee, they should be able to stand up again in a matter of hours, but still, they are out of the match.”  
“This is narrowing the field regarding our bidding chart, too, Hamada, so if you still want to change your bets, you can definitely do that, dear viewers, biddings are taken until the end of the first day, but, if we look at it, Hamada, people play to their favourites, if we look at the chart real quick -”  
“Ah, yes, I see, very far ahead, twenty-six percent on Bloodhound, of course -”  
“That's a fourth of all of our bidders, Hamada!”  
“I am not surprised, Bloodhound is a crowd favorite and has proven time and time again that they are a capable competitor. Uh, and right after Bloodhound, to my surprise, we have our newcomer, the mysterious Wraith, at 12 percent. Already has three kills on her marker, she is sharing the Kill Leader spot with Caustic right now, very impressive, too.”  
“Especially considering that she made all of those kills after her team lost their third squad mate, Sparks, to Caustic!”  
“The world is is full of surprises, as is the ring. Uh, going back to the bets, the top five list goes on as follows, after Wraith we have Big G, Gibraltar at eleven percent, followed by a tie between Caustic and everyone’s favorite robot friend, Pathfinder -”  
“He is so adorable.”  
“And on the fifth spot, which to me comes as a surprise, Lifeline! At seven percent, the combat medic barely made it into the top five before our popular boy Mirage.”  
“Mirage has had a really bad run those first few hours, Hamada, but it really gave some of our newcomers time to shine.”  
“Uh, I feel, I feel like Mirage still has to adjust to his teammates’ pace, you know? Bloodhound is a very quick person, Lifeline has shown that she isn't one for waiting around either, both her and Bloodhound already grabbed a kill, but I’m certain once the first round is over, we will see Mirage in his true colors.”  
“Let’s hope for that, Hamada, and again, dear viewers, if you want to join the biddings, you still have time to enter your tip for your favorite legend until the beginning of the first peace cycle by the end of Round One. The information will be displayed below, and we will see you, in a few minutes, after a few messages from our sponsors.”


End file.
